Cleveland T-shirt designer Brian Kirby has been making "Cleveland Caucasians" shirts since 2007. After lingering in the minor leagues for many a season, the shirt has come out of nowhere to become the rookie of the year in the T-shirt world.
(Shelf Life Clothing)

You'd be hard-pressed finding fans of Chief Wahoo singing this version of the Cleveland Indians fight song. But it's been a winning pitch for Cleveland T-shirt designer Brian Kirby.

The "Cleveland Caucasians" is a spoof of Chief Wahoo -- and has become part of the debate on the Cleveland Indians logo.Shelf Life Clothing

You could say it's the All-Star, Rookie of the Year and MVP of sports T-shirts. The logo lampoons Chief Wahoo -- adding blond hair and a dollar sign for the feather and substituting "Caucasians" for Indians.

And it's caught on – big, out of the blue.

Kirby sold $20,000 worth of the shirts during one recent 24-hour period – so much so that his Cleveland home is packed with stacks of orders.

"I'm working nonstop just filling orders, and I had to put my wife and 2-year-old son to work," says Kirby, a New York native who moved to Cleveland after graduating from Fordham University. "I've been selling the shirt since 2007 and never imagined it would take off like this."

For years, Cleveland-based Shelf Life Clothing has been making satirical T-shirts with humorous designs. The "Cleveland Caucasians" was one of many -- such as the one that depicted notorious basketball player Ron Artest as Bruce Lee. Or the football helmet adorned with a pot-leaf emblem in honor of weed-loving NFL running back Ricky Williams.

And then, boom: He found himself – and the shirt – caught in the middle of the debate over Chief Wahoo.

"A native American DJ group called A Tribe Called Red bought one about four years ago," says Kirby, referring to Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau. "I didn't think anything of it."

Not until DJ NDN wore the shirt in a photo shoot that sparked a controversy.

"People accused him of racism for wearing the shirt," says Kirby. "Or actually reverse racism, because he's Native American [First Nations, in Canada] and people thought he was making fun of white people."

Interesting, but not a big deal – until he checked his website and saw dozens of orders for the shirt.

"The Internet caught on fire, because it raised the issue by flipping it upside down, and the orders kept on coming in," says Kirby. Sales for the T-shirt ($22) were boosted by media coverage and blogs in Canada -- and led to a full-on line of Caucasians items, from V-necks to stickers to hoodies.

"I came up with the shirt to raise a point, but in a disarming way," says Kirby. "I didn't mean any spite by it."

Kirby, a devoted Indians fan, wears the shirt when he attends Tribe games.

"People get the joke and the point it's making," he says. "I can't wear it without someone making a positive comment."

Cleveland designer Brian Kirby found himself in the middle of the Carlos Boozer story, when he created a now-defunct Web site mocking the ex-Cleveland Cavalier called carlosloozer.com.The Plain Dealer

It's not the first time Kirby has thrown himself into a sports controversy. Cavs fans of years ago might remember carlosloozer.com – a comical website he created that spoofed Carlos Boozer, the ex-Cav who spurned the team 10 years ago.

"His ego got out of control and was ripe for lampooning," says Kirby. "I did it for fun, and it just took off when ESPN started talking about it."

He has since retired the site and has made peace with Boozer.

"Carlos was having some personal problems, and I didn't feel like doing it anymore," he says. "I'm a sports fan, but you can't take it so seriously -- it's just a game."

Sports fans, ever the serious lot, have taken the whole "Cleveland Caucasians" thing in stride.

"People always come up to me and laugh and say, 'Man, that's awesome,' " he says. "I was just trying to have fun. Who knew it would ever catch on? Certainly not me."

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